Welcome from the Chair

Welcome to the University of Dayton’s Department of Communication! We’re happy you are interested in all we have to offer, and hope that this site provides all the information you need. You will find information about our degrees, areas of concentration, our faculty, co-curricular experiences and more.

A degree in Communication can help students who wish to pursue careers in a host of different fields. From law to sales, human resources to community outreach, employers in just about every field want to hire people who know how to effectively communicate with each other. In fact, survey after survey shows that what employers most seek in new hires are people who can articulate clear ideas, advocate for their own positions, work well in teams, constructively manage conflict, explain complicated subjects to non-experts and even disagree without being disagreeable. In short, they want people who communicate well. In our department we offer several different concentrations to help students focus their interests in communication. We offer courses in communication management (organizational and interpersonal communication), media production (broadcast), journalism, public relations, and theatre. Regardless of the concentration on which a student focuses, our courses and our major are designed to help you develop knowledge and skills in areas that enhance your quality of life and career potential.

The Department of Communication also offers a host of experiences beyond the classroom that can help you expand your interests and even build your resume. We have both an active honor’s society as well as PRSSA chapter for those interested in public relations. We also have a successful debate team open to any student, and many different possibilities for internships. Additionally, the Department of Communication is the only unit on campus that has its own Study Abroad program, which rotates sites between London, Paris and China. Finally, for students who wish to pursue a master’s degree in communication, we offer a five year BA+MA program available only to our own students. The possibilities are endless in our department and with a degree in our field.

I joined the University of Dayton in 2011 to serve as Basic Course Director, before beginning my role as chair of the department this year. Why did I choose UD? There are several reasons. First, UD is a student-centered school, where faculty work with students, they don’t simply teach class. Class sizes are large enough to have good discussions, but small enough to offer personal attention to each student. Second, from the minute I stepped on campus I felt as though this was a caring and strong community of which I wanted to be a part. In fact, the University understands community as not simply ending at the campus border, but rather extending into the larger Dayton area, where our students participate in a host of service learning activities that connect their work on campus to real life experiences. Third, the faculty in this department are among some of the world leaders in their respective areas, offering courses that share their expertise with our students. Finally, the region itself contains a thriving arts community, a record setting minor league baseball team and numerous other exciting aspects I don’t have space to mention. It is, in short, a terrific place to live and learn.

I invite you to explore our website to learn more about our department. Please feel free to contact any of our faculty or staff if you have questions.